CADAM HAS HAD 2000 BENEFICIARIES SINCE INCEPTION – Adedeji

Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM), is a ministry set up by the Redeemed Christian Church of God for the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The ministry, formed in 1991 has effectively restored many drug addicts to normal life and a life in Christ. Recently one of our correspondents met the national coordinator, Pastor Dokun Adedeji who highlighted the challenges facing the ministry, the assistance it had received and the achievement made since inception.

Q: Can we meet you, sir?

A: My name is Dokun Adedeji

Q: May we know your position in CADAM?

A: I am the national coordinator for the ministry.

Q: We learnt that currently you have about 120 people benefiting from the ministry

A: Yes this is because we have three centers; two for men and one for women. In our two centers right now, we have about 65 in one and 45 in the other then the women make up the rest. We feed them and clothe them and we don’t charge a penny, so it is really for us a struggle but God has been faithful and if this can happen, then many more will come.

Q: Specifically, what areas do you urgently need assistance, sir?

A: To be honest with you, if I can get money today, we just got a safer and more conducive environment for our women in Epe and we need about 600,000 to pay the rent. We also just got an office space in Ojodu. So, today if I get ?2.5million, I will be smiling because we will be able to settle all bills conveniently.

Q: Is there any arrangement from the National to assist you on a constant basis?

A: I must confess that Pastor Adeyokunnnu has been fantastic. Every quarter, he gives us ?5million. This helps us to pay salaries. When I cried to him a few weeks ago, we hadn’t paid our staff in about four and a half months. He, Pastor Atoyebi and Pastor Morgan were able to give me money and we paid them. We also needed funds to make beds and he also assisted and we have made the beds. When we have all these things (referring to donated items), spending money on them will be reduced and we will be able to spend money on the beneficiaries. Part of the money he gave me was to cater for the people doing vocation. We have those we train in vocation so that when they go out, they can live a better life.

Q: sir, what projection do you have for CADAM in the next five years?

A: We are looking forward to having our own permanent site built in ARAGA. The General Overseer, Pastor E. A. Adeboye

gave us a huge expanse of land but because the Church did not do papers, the land has reduced to 5.6. If we get that place built, believe me, we will take more than we are taking. If we call for an interview, we get over 100 people but we can’t take all of them because there is no space. Right now, if you go to Araga, there are people sleeping on the floor. So, we want to build a permanent site and then we can do more. People don’t know there is a drug problem. It is huge. Even if you talk in your Church, you will be amazed with some of the teenagers are doing drugs.

Q: How long has this organization been, sir?

A: Since 1991 that Pastor Odeyemi founded it.

Q: What have been the achievements so far?

A: We must have seen about two thousand beneficiaries. Some of them today are in top hierarchy of the Church. Some of them are pastors, missionaries and so on. We also have doctors and lawyers. We work with 8 Nigerian Universities now. They send their students to us, we rehabilitate them, they take them back and they continue with their education. Some of them have graduated from the Redeemer’s University. We have about 10 of them from RUN and some other universities. God has helped us thus far.